 Netzer in 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Günter Theodor Netzer | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | (1944-09-14)14 September 1944 (age 81) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Mönchengladbach, Germany | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Midfielder | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1952–1963 | 1. FC Mönchengladbach | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1963–1973 | Borussia Mönchengladbach | 297 | (108) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1973–1976 | Real Madrid | 85 | (9) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1976–1977 | Grasshopper Club Zürich | 26 | (3) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 408 | (120) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1965–1975 | West Germany | 37 | (6) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Managerial career | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1977–1985 | Hamburger SV (general manager) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Günter Theodor Netzer (born 14 September 1944) is a German former professionalfootball player, executive and pundit. He achieved great success in Germany withBorussia Mönchengladbach in the early 1970s and, after moving to Spain in 1973, withReal Madrid. A technically giftedplaymaker, Netzer played as anattacking midfielder or as adeep-lying playmaker and is considered one of the greatest midfielders and passers in the game's history.[1][2][3][4] He was votedGerman Footballer of the Year twice, in 1972 and 1973.[5]
Netzer was the general manager forHamburger SV during much of the team's golden period from the late 1970s through the early 1980s, when the club won three league titles and the 1983European Cup.
Netzer, the son of a greengrocer,[6] played for 1. FC Mönchengladbach from the age of eight until 19 before switching to city rivalsBorussia Mönchengladbach in 1963.[1] He scored on his debut againstRot-Weiß Oberhausen, and quickly established himself as a first team regular, helping the club win promotion to theBundesliga in 1965.
Netzer played for Borussia, managed byHennes Weisweiler, until 1973.[1] In his 230 Bundesliga games for them, he scored 82 goals.[7] The era also saw one of the most competitive rivalries in theBundesliga's history betweenBorussia Mönchengladbach andBayern Munich. Bayern Munich had starsFranz Beckenbauer,Gerd Müller,Hans-Georg Schwarzenbeck,Paul Breitner andSepp Maier on their side while Mönchengladbach hadBerti Vogts,Herbert Wimmer,Jupp Heynckes,Rainer Bonhof and Netzer. When they achieved their first successes the average age of both teams was 21.
With Borussia Mönchengladbach he won the Bundesliga in1970 and1971 (the first Bundesliga club to win back-to-back championships), and theDFB-Pokal in1973.[1] The final was a famous match against1. FC Köln in which he started as a sub – it is said because he had told his manager of his intention to move to Spain after the season – and went onto the pitch during extra time on his own authority, simply telling the coach"I'll go and play now" whilst removing his tracksuit.[1][8] He then went on to score the winning goal three minutes later, with only his second possession of the ball.[1] By then Netzer had achieved a certain pop star-like popularity because of his good looks, flowing blond hair, and perceived rebel personality and playboy lifestyle. Netzer was votedGerman Footballer of the Year twice, in 1972 and 1973, by the country's football journalists.[5]
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WhenJohan Cruyff joinedFC Barcelona in 1973,Real Madrid needed to respond in kind. SoSantiago Bernabéu signed him andPaul Breitner a year later. Netzer was the first German player to play for the club.[9] He played in Spain until 1976, winningLa Liga in1975 and1976 and theCopa del Rey in 1974 and 1975. After his three-year spell in the Spanish capital, Netzer joinedGrasshopper Club Zürich, where in 1977 he finished his playing career.[1]
Netzer made his debut for theWest Germany national team in October 1965 in a friendly againstAustria. He represented West Germany 37 times[10] from 1965 to 1975, scoring six goals (some from the penalty spot) and playing a vital role in the country's victory atUEFA Euro 1972. He also appeared briefly (for 21 minutes againstEast Germany) in the1974 FIFA World Cup, during which time the only goal of the match was scored against his team. At the tournament,Wolfgang Overath was the central figure in Germany's midfield;[1] Netzer, despite being friends with Overath, considered the pair as not being able to play together effectively.[11] Although he did not play in the final, Netzer is nonetheless considered the first World Cup winner to, at the time of winning, play for a club that was based outside his country.
A classicplaymaker known for his technique and passing ability, Netzer is considered one of the greatest midfielders of all time.[1] Positioned as a midfielder in front of the defence, Netzer often dropped back between the back line. From there, he organised the game from deep and served his team-mates with precise long balls. During his time at Mönchengladbach, Netzer was also deployed as alibero at times.[12] Apart from his superior ball skills, his natural authority made him the undisputed leader of his team.[1] As a player for Borussia Mönchengladbach, he enjoyed a lot of freedom from the management and the coachHennes Weisweiler, even off the pitch.[1] On the field the way he orchestrated the team's midfield play earned him the nickname 'Karajan', after the conductorHerbert von Karajan.
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After his career as a player Netzer offered to publishHamburger SV's stadium magazine.[1][6] The president, Paul Benthien, agreed on the condition that he also became general manager.[6] Netzer spent eight successful years in Hamburg, during which time he completely transformed Hamburg's team, managed to sign famous coaches likeBranko Zebec and laterErnst Happel, and led the club to threeBundesliga titles (1979, 1982, 1983).[6] In 1983, Hamburg reached thefinal of theEuropean Cup. WithHorst Hrubesch,Felix Magath andManfred Kaltz, Hamburg pulled off one of the biggest upsets in European Cup history by beating aJuventus side packed with Italian players who had won theWorld Cup a year earlier and two star import players –Michel Platini andZbigniew Boniek. The years with Günter Netzer are today considered the most successful period in Hamburg's history.[1]
After the end of his playing career, Netzer founded an advertising agency inZürich, Switzerland, where he continues to live.[5] He also deals in TV rights and is currentlyexecutive director of the Swiss sports rights managing agencyInfront Sports & Media AG, a partner company of theGerman Football Association.[1][8]
Apart from that, Netzer worked as a reporter and footballpundit on TV. For his work with the German TV channelARD and hostGerhard Delling, commenting on games of the Germany national team, both received the prestigiousAdolf Grimme Award in 2000.[1][6]
Despite their frequent arguments on TV, which they have developed into a kind of iconic skit, Netzer and Delling are said to be close friends. Netzer was Delling'sbest man at his wedding in May 2003.[13][14]
It was the duo's harsh criticism of the Germany national side's poor performance that triggeredRudi Völler's famous eruption on 6 September 2003, immediately after the international match againstIceland. The thenBundestrainer (manager) harshly criticized Netzer, some considered it abusively, in a live interview after the goalless draw.[15]
Following the2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, Netzer announced he was leaving the ARD after 13 years.[14][15][16]
Netzer is married and has one daughter.[1][6] Having lived in Switzerland since the end of his football career, he has also acquired Swiss citizenship.[17]
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | 1965 | 2 | 0 |
| 1966 | 2 | 0 | |
| 1967 | 2 | 0 | |
| 1968 | 7 | 0 | |
| 1970 | 3 | 1 | |
| 1971 | 8 | 3 | |
| 1972 | 7 | 2 | |
| 1973 | 1 | 0 | |
| 1974 | 3 | 0 | |
| 1975 | 2 | 0 | |
| Total | 37 | 6 | |
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 22 November 1970 | Athens, Greece |  Greece | 1–0 | 3–1 | Friendly |
| 2 | 12 June 1971 | Karlsruhe, Germany |  Albania | 1–0 | 2–0 | UEFA Euro 1972 qualifying |
| 3 | 22 June 1971 | Oslo, Norway |  Norway | 7–0 | 7–1 | Friendly |
| 4 | 8 September 1971 | Hanover, Germany |  Mexico | 4–0 | 5–0 | Friendly |
| 5 | 29 April 1972 | London, England |  England | 2–1 | 3–1 | UEFA Euro 1972 qualifying |
| 6 | 15 November 1972 | Düsseldorf, Germany |  Switzerland | 4–0 | 5–1 | Friendly |
Borussia Mönchengladbach[18]
Real Madrid[18]
West Germany[18]
Individual
Hamburger SV
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